We welcome you to the most auspicious celebration of Sri Gaura-purnima, the appearance day of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna Chaitanya. According to Vedic scriptures, the Absolute Truth is realized in three features: Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. Impersonalist speculators want to merge and become one with God, one with t

he impersonal brahmajyoti, which is nothing but the transcendental effulgence emanating from the divine body of Sri Krishna. Beyond the impersonal Brahman is Paramatma, the Lord within the heart, and the purusa-avataras—Karanodakasayi Vishnu, Garbhodakasayi Vishnu, and Ksirodakasayi Vishnu—are the soul of the universe, the soul of creation, the soul of souls. And beyond realization of the impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma is realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, who is the source of Paramatma and Brahman.

That same Krishna who appeared about five thousand years ago appeared again some five hundred years ago as Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Why is it that Krishna, who came five thousand years ago and spoke the Bhagavad-gita and exhibited so many pastimes, came again? In the authorized scripture Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Lord Krishna’s thoughts after He had manifested His pastimes on earth five thousand years ago are recorded. These thoughts explain why He came again five hundred years ago as Sri Krishna Chaitanya.

We are all sitting here by the mercy of Sri Krishna Chaitanya and His followers in disciplic succession, especially His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. And practically every activity that takes place here is based on the instructions and example of Krishna Chaitanya. You can hardly find any aspect of the Krishna consciousness movement that is not based on His teachings and precedents. So it is very important—essential—to understand Him, because without understanding Him we cannot really progress very far toward the ultimate goal of life.

We read from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter Three: “The External Reasons for the Appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu”:

TEXTS 13–16

Lord Krsna enjoys His transcendental pastimes as long as He wishes, and then He disappears. After disappearing, however, He thinks thus:

“For a long time I have not bestowed unalloyed loving service to Me upon the inhabitants of the world. Without such loving attachment, the existence of the material world is useless.

“Everywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural injunctions. But simply by following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving sentiments of the devotees in Vrajabhumi.

“Knowing My opulences, the whole world looks upon Me with awe and veneration. But devotion made feeble by such reverence does not attract Me.”

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

After His appearance, Lord Krsna thought that He had not distributed the transcendental personal dealings with His devotees in dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhurya. One may understand the science of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the Vedic literature and thus become a devotee of the Lord and worship Him within the regulative principles described in the scriptures, but one will not know in this way how Lord Krsna is served by the residents of Vrajabhumi. By following scriptural injunctions one may enhance his appreciation for the glories of the Lord, but there is no chance for one to enter into personal dealings with Him. Giving too much attention to understanding the exalted glories of the Lord reduces the chance of one’s entering into personal loving affairs with the Lord. To teach the principles of such loving dealings, the Lord decided to appear as Lord Caitanya.

TEXT 19

yuga-dharma pravartaimu nama-sankirtana
cari bhava-bhakti diya nacamu bhuvana

TRANSLATION

“I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age—nama-sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy, realizing the four mellows of loving devotional service.

COMMENT by Giriraj Swami

The Lord came to introduce the yuga-dharma, the recommended process for self-realization, or God realization, in the present age, and that is nama-sankirtana, the chanting of the holy names of the Lord.

TEXT 20

apani karimu bhakta-bhava angikare
apani acari’ bhakti sikhaimu sabare

TRANSLATION

“I shall accept the role of a devotee, and I shall teach devotional service by practicing it Myself.”

PURPORT

When one associates with a pure devotee, he becomes so elevated that he does not aspire even for sarsti, sarupya, samipya, or salokya, because he feels that such liberation is a kind of sense gratification. Pure devotees do not ask anything from the Lord for their personal benefit. Even if offered personal benefits, pure devotees do not accept them, because their only desire is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead by transcendental loving service.

COMMENT

This is a very important point. One may engage in devotional service externally, and that is very good, but what really matters in devotional service is the consciousness. We are living in the material world, which is composed of and influenced by the three modes of material nature: tamo-guna, rajo-guna, and sattva-guna—the modes of ignorance, passion, and goodness. Beyond even sattva-guna is suddha-sattva, or the state of vasudeva, which is transcendental to all three modes. Within the material world no one can be in pure ignorance, pure passion, or pure goodness. There is always some mixing of the different modes. Only when one comes to the transcendental platform is one freed from the influence of the modes.

Srila Prabhupada has explained different mentalities that one can have in the practice of devotional service. The same principles are enunciated in the Third Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada has phrased his explanation in a way that we can easily understand and relate to. Someone engaged in devotional service under the influence of the mode of ignorance will think, “I’m the only devotee. No one else here is a real devotee. I am the only one who is doing anything of value; everyone else is useless.” That is devotional service influenced by the mode of ignorance. In devotional service influenced by the mode of passion, one thinks, “I want to be the best devotee. I want to be known for being the best devotee.” Someone influenced by the mode of goodness will think, “I want to go back home, back to Godhead.” And someone who is transcendentally situated in pure devotional service will think, “I just want to please Krishna.”

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to teach and show by His personal example pure devotional service in which a devotee has no selfish desire even to go back to Godhead. As Srila Prabhupada says, the pure devotee considers the liberation of going back to Godhead to be sense gratification. He wants only to serve the Lord. That is pure devotional service. That is what Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to teach and exemplify, and that is what Srila Prabhupada also taught and exemplified and wanted us to follow.

PURPORT (continued)

Therefore, when the Lord took the place of the incarnation of Kali-yuga to spread the glories of chanting Hare Krsna . . .

COMMENT

This too is an important point—that Krishna Himself does not come in every Kali-yuga as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and that Krishna Himself doesn’t come in every Dvapara-yuga. There is a yuga-avatara, or incarnation, every Satya-yuga, every Treta-yuga, every Dvapara-yuga, and every Kali-yuga, but only once in a day of Brahma, which is about four billion three hundred and twenty million years, will Krishna, the original Personality of Godhead, come in Dvapara-yuga, and only once in a day of Brahma will Krishna come again as Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Kali-yuga—the Kali-yuga immediately following the Dvapara-yuga in which Krishna appears. How fortunate we are to be living in the Kali-yuga in which Sri Krishna Chaitanya appeared!

When Lord Chaitanya was present, He predicted, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama, sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama: “In every town and village on the surface of the earth, My name [Krishna’s name] will be preached.” That prediction seemed almost inconceivable. Yes, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spread Krishna consciousness throughout India, but the idea of spreading Krishna consciousness throughout the world seemed impossible. Even followers of Lord Chaitanya thought He might be speaking in some poetic or metaphorical way, not that it would actually happen. In Sri Caitanya-mangala, Srila Locana dasa Thakura explains that Lord Chaitanya appeared and preached in Navadvipa to establish the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra as the religious process for the Age of Kali. Lord Chaitanya said, “I want to flood the whole world with the chanting of the holy names. I will personally preach and flood India with the holy name. Later, My commander-in-chief devotee [senapati bhakta] will come, preach in distant countries, and flood the world with the chanting of Hare Krishna.”

A very special soul would be entrusted to do this otherwise-impossible assignment. And that, we know, was His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He left this world in 1977, only thirty-three years ago. So anyone older than thirty-three years was on the planet at the same time as Srila Prabhupada, the senapati bhakta who was personally sent by Krishna, by Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. And we are sitting in a temple within his society that was established by one of his direct disciples, Sripada Tamal Krishna Goswami. We have an amazing opportunity, and we should understand how fortunate we are to have this opportunity and take full advantage of it. How? We first have to understand what that means. We have to understand what Lord Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada came to give us, so that we can recognize it and accept it.

Lord Chaitanya said, “I shall accept the role of a devotee, and I shall teach devotional service by practicing it Myself.” In the purport Srila Prabhupada says, “Therefore, when the Lord took the place of the incarnation of Kali-yuga . . .” In other words, the Lord Himself doesn’t personally come to be the yuga-avatara in every Kali-yuga.

PURPORT (concluded)

When the Lord took the place of the incarnation of Kali-yuga to spread the glories of chanting Hare Krsna—the system of worship recommended in this age—He also distributed the process of devotional service performed on the platform of transcendental spontaneous love. To teach the highest principles of spiritual life, the Lord Himself appeared as a devotee in the form of Lord Caitanya.

COMMENT

Now I will read from another section of Caitanya-caritamrta about two of the most important principles of devotional service that Lord Chaitanya taught and that we are meant to learn and adopt. This discussion took place between Lord Chaitanya and the Mayavadi sannyasis in Benares. In the Shankara-sampradaya it is expected that sannyasis will study Vedanta, and Varanasi is full of Mayavadis, full of followers or so-called followers of Shankaracharya. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came to Varanasi, He performed hari-nama-sankirtana, nagara-sankirtana, and thousands of people joined Him, but the Mayavadi sannyasis, impersonal sannyasis who want to realize Brahman, could not understand the transcendental activities of the Lord. They thought that the Lord’s activities were material. That’s why they are called Mayavadis, because they themselves are material, on the material platform, and they see the Lord—His name, His form, His qualities, His pastimes, His service—as material, as maya. They think that the Deity is material, that in the beginning we may focus on the Deity but that when we are advanced enough, we go beyond the Deity and merge and become one with the impersonal light. In other words, they are atheists.

There is a very nice verse in the Padma Purana saying that anyone who thinks that the Deity is just stone, who thinks that the guru is an ordinary human being, who thinks that a Vaishnava belongs to a certain caste or community, is a resident of hell. That word is used—naraki.

arcye visnau sila-dhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhir . . .
sri-visnor namni mantre sakala-kalusa-he sabde-samanya buddhir . . .
yasya va naraki sah

“One who considers the worshipable Deity of Lord Vishnu to be mere stone, the spiritual master to be an ordinary human being, a Vaishnava to belong to a particular caste, and the mantra of the holy name of Vishnu, which destroys all impurities, to be a material vibration, is a resident of hell.” (Padma Purana)

So just consider: If you think the Deity is made of stone—of course, in theory we may say that the Deity is Krishna, but to what extent do we actually believe that the Deity is Krishna, as shown by our behavior? If one thinks that the spiritual master is an ordinary person—and again we may outwardly show respect, but the real test is to what extent we follow the spiritual master’s instructions. If we think that a Vaishnava belongs to a certain community or ethnic group—for example, if I think, “That’s an American Vaishnava,” or an African Vaishnava, a Mexican Vaishnava, or Bengali Vaishnava or Gujarati Vaishnava—that is a hellish mentality (naraki sah).

To really benefit from what Lord Chaitanya and Srila Prabhupada came to give us, we have to understand what they taught and practiced, so that we can follow their instructions and example. I was discussing Lord Chaitanya’s speaking with the Mayavadi sannyasis. There was a meeting of all the sannyasis of Varanasi, and the leader of the Mayavadi sannyasis asked Lord Chaitanya, “Why don’t you study Vedanta? All sannyasis are supposed to study Vedanta.” Lord Chaitanya replied, guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasana: “My spiritual master considered Me a fool, and therefore he chastised Me.”

This shows what should be the mood of a disciple in relation to the spiritual master. As Srila Prabhupada said, one should always feel himself to be a fool and be ready to be chastised by the guru. In the bodily concept of life we feel insulted: “How dare he call me a fool! Doesn’t he know who I am?” One of Lord Chaitanya’s chief disciples was Srila Sanatana Gosvami, a very learned scholar. He was fluent in Sanskrit and Persian and knowledgeable in scriptures and philosophy, but when he approached Lord Chaitanya, he told Him, “In ordinary dealings people call me a learned scholar, pandit, but I am such a pandit that I do not even know who I am or what is the goal of life. So please instruct me.”

When we come to that position where we feel that we are fools who need to be instructed, we can approach a spiritual master. The same sort of incident took place in the Bhagavad-gita. In the beginning, Arjuna was speaking with Krishna more or less on an equal level, talking as friends. Krishna was telling Arjuna that he should fight, and Arjuna was coming up with so many reasons why he should not fight. From a certain point of view, the reasons may have sounded good, but in the end, Arjuna came to the point where he admitted he really didn’t know what he should do. And then he told Krishna (like Sanatana Gosvami, in a way), “Now I am confused about my duty.” Sisyas te ’ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam: “Now I am surrendering to You as Your disciple. Please instruct me.”

karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah
  prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah
yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
  sisyas te ’ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam

 “Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.” (Gita 2.7) And from that point, when Arjuna surrendered to Krishna as his spiritual master, Krishna was able to instruct him and spoke the Bhagavad-gita.

Guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasana. Lord Chaitanya said, “My spiritual master considered Me to be a fool, and he chastised Me. He told Me, ‘You are not qualified to study Vedanta philosophy.’ ” Was Lord Chaitanya unqualified? He is Krishna Himself. In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krishna says, vedanta-krd veda-vid: “I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.” But Lord Chaitanya was showing us the example that we should not be so proud that we think we can understand Vedanta, because in Kali-yuga you really can’t understand Vedanta. He was setting the example. “My spiritual master considered Me a fool and said, ‘You are not qualified to study Vedanta philosophy, and therefore You must always chant the holy name of Krishna.’ ” And Lord Chaitanya said, “I took the instructions of My spiritual master to heart and I always chant the holy name, but while chanting, I lose Myself, and thus I laugh, cry, dance, and sing just like a madman. I began to think that My knowledge was being covered, so I approached My spiritual master for clarification.”

I will read that verse and purport. It is a very short purport. Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter 7: “Lord Caitanya in Five Features.”

TEXT 80

“I saw that I had become mad by chanting the holy name, and I immediately submitted this at the lotus feet of My spiritual master.”

PURPORT

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, as an ideal teacher, shows us how a disciple should deal with his spiritual master. Whenever there is doubt regarding any point, he should refer the matter to his spiritual master for clarification. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that while chanting and dancing He had developed the kind of mad ecstasy that is possible only for a liberated soul. Yet even in His liberated position, He referred everything to His spiritual master whenever there were doubts. Thus in any condition, even when liberated, we should never think ourselves independent of the spiritual master, but must refer to him as soon as there is some doubt regarding our progressive spiritual life.

COMMENT

There are details in how to apply this, but it is the principle that even when we are liberated, we are not independent. We are still subservient to the spiritual master and are meant to be under his control.

Lord Chaitanya’s spiritual master was very pleased, because he could understand that Lord Chaitanya had developed ecstatic love for Godhead. This is the benefit of chanting the holy names of Krishna properly. There are offenses to be considered when one chants the holy name, and if one commits offenses while chanting, one will not get the desired result. Caitanya-caritamrta says bahu janma, that one can chant the holy name for many lifetimes, hundreds of lifetimes, thousands of lifetimes, but that if one’s chanting is infested with offenses, one will not get pure love of Godhead, which is meant to be the result of the chanting. So, it is understood that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was chanting without offense. Of course, He was Krishna, but as a devotee He was chanting without offense. Therefore He developed ecstatic symptoms of love of Godhead, and His spiritual master was very pleased. It is said that the spiritual master takes more pleasure when he sees a disciple advance than when he himself advances. If a disciple becomes a pure devotee, then the spiritual master can say that his mission is a complete success.

I will skip ahead to an important verse and purport, a short purport:

TEXT 91

bhala haila, paile tumi parama-purusartha
tomara premete ami hailan krtartha

This is Lord Chaitanya’s spiritual master speaking to Him:

TRANSLATION

“It is very good, my dear child, that You have attained the supreme goal of life by developing love of Godhead. Thus You have pleased me very much, and I am very much obliged to You.”

PURPORT

According to the revealed scriptures, if a spiritual master can convert even one soul into a perfectly pure devotee, his mission in life is fulfilled. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura always used to say, “Even at the expense of all the properties, temples and mathas that I have, if I could convert even one person into a pure devotee, my mission would be fulfilled.”

COMMENT

We have heard about Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, that he constructed a beautiful marble temple in Calcutta, the Bhag Bazaar Gaudiya Matha, to preach Krishna consciousness, but that his disciples, who were quite neophyte and materialistic, began to fight over the property—who would occupy which room, who would have which position. When he was on parikrama in Vrindavan—this was one of the rare times that Srila Prabhupada got to be with his spiritual master personally—Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura told Prabhupada, “There will be fire in this Gaudiya Matha.” He could see that there would be the fire of conflict and party interest. He said, “I have built this beautiful marble temple, but now I am seeing that my disciples are quarreling. If I could, I would sell the marble and use that money to print books.” Then he told Srila Prabhupada, “I had a desire to print some books. If you ever get money, print books.” And that direct instruction from his spiritual master became Srila Prabhupada’s guiding principle in his mission. Of course, he did everything, because it is all part of the process: he established Deities, he established farm projects, he established schools, he did everything, but he took the instruction of his spiritual master to print and distribute books to heart. So, Prabhupada is quoting his guru maharaja here:

PURPORT (concluded)

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura always used to say, “Even at the expense of all the properties, temples and mathas that I have, if I could convert even one person into a pure devotee, my mission would be fulfilled.” It is very difficult, however, to understand the science of Krishna, what to speak of developing love of Godhead. Therefore if by the grace of Lord Caitanya and the spiritual master a disciple attains the standard of pure devotional service, the spiritual master is very happy. The spiritual master is not actually happy if the disciple brings him money, but when he sees that a disciple is following the regulative principles and advancing in spiritual life, he is very glad and feels obliged to such an advanced disciple.

COMMENT

Of course, we accept money to use in Krishna’s service, but not at the expense of following the regulative principles of devotional service. So, Srila Prabhupada presents this dichotomy. The two don’t have to be opposed to each other, but they can be, because money is such a thing that even devotees who are trying to make advancement get bewildered by it. Money is such a thing.

On a morning walk on Juhu Beach, Srila Prabhupada said that money is simply a botheration; it is simply trouble. To get money is a problem, to hold onto the money is a problem, and when you lose the money, that’s also a problem. At every stage, money is a problem. So, here Srila Prabhupada says that the spiritual master is not actually happy if the disciple brings him money, but when he sees that a disciple is following the regulative principles and advancing in spiritual life, he is very glad and feels obliged to such an advanced disciple.

Reading this reminded me of an incident in Juhu, Bombay, where, as many of you know, Srila Prabhupada established a big, beautiful temple. One evening Srila Prabhupada was sitting on the terrace of one of the buildings at the back. This was before we actually got permission to build anything on the property. There were some tenement buildings with tenants, and one of the tenants left, so at least we had one apartment where Srila Prabhupada could stay. So, he was sitting on the terrace one evening, and his disciple Haridas was fanning him. At seven o’clock Srila Prabhupada said to Haridas, “Did you hear that?” Haridas strained to hear, but he said, “No.” Srila Prabhupada said, “You don’t hear the sound of kirtan coming from the temple?” Haridas Prabhu listened and said, “No, Srila Prabhupada, I don’t.” And Srila Prabhupada said, “That is exactly the point. There is no kirtan in the temple. It is arati time, but there is no kirtan in the temple. Where are all the devotees?” Haridas Prabhu said, “Well, Srila Prabhupada, they must have gone to the city to collect for the project and haven’t come back yet.” Actually, there was a little speculation there, because it just so happened that that night we were performing kirtan on the request of one of our best life members and donors, whose mother had passed away, so it wasn’t quite what Haridas said, but Prabhupada’s point is very instructive.

Srila Prabhupada said, “This was not my idea, that the devotees should go to the city and collect all day and night. Our process is to please Krishna. They may go at nine in the morning and return by five in the evening and then chant in front of the Deities. Otherwise, they will become like karmis.” Then he asked Haridas, “Do you know why we were successful in getting this land?” There had been a big struggle. If any of you have read Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta—and I do recommend that every devotee read it—you would know that the owner of the land, Mr. Nair, was a prominent person in Bombay. He had been the sheriff, owned one of Bombay’s three English daily newspapers, and was wealthy and influential. So, Srila Prabhupada asked Haridas, “Do you know why we were successful and Mr. Nair wasn’t? We are successful because we try to please Krishna and Krishna is merciful and reciprocates with us. Otherwise, Mr. Nair was much more powerful than we. He had money, influence, his own daily newspaper¾he had contacts, so many politicians and government officers. And who were we? We had no money, no influence, and no support. Yet we were successful because we were simply trying to please Krishna, following the regulative principles of devotional service¾by Krishna’s grace.

“So, we should come and sing and dance in front of the Deities and please Them, and by Their grace we will get all success. We are not successful by our own strength; we are successful by Krishna’s grace.”

This is a very important principle in devotional service: Whatever we do, we should do for the pleasure of Krishna, and then depend on His mercy. We cannot be successful by our own independent endeavors. There is a saying that without the mercy of Lord Chaitanya, even easy things become difficult, and that with the mercy of Lord Chaitanya, even difficult things become easy. So, we should endeavor to please Lord Chaitanya, to please the Deities, to please Srila Prabhupada, by following their instructions and adopting their mood. And by that endeavor, under proper guidance, we will be successful in our own personal spiritual lives and successful in preaching, in spreading the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

On this auspicious occasion we pray to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu and Their associates to bless us to become free from the anarthas and avidya within our hearts, to purify our hearts and empower us to serve Them properly as They would like. That’s the only way we can be successful.

Upon his arrival in America, Srila Prabhupada wrote a beautiful poem. Not knowing anyone, not having any money, not having any influence, he prayed to Lord Krishna—the same mood was there from the very beginning, until the very end—“How will I be able to convince them of Your message? Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of passion and ignorance. How will I convince them?” It is a beautiful poem, and we should study it. It is in Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta. We should study whatever we can about Srila Prabhupada. In his poem, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta.” Bhakti means “devotion” and vedanta means “knowledge,” or the end of knowledge. He said, “I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta, but I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge. But You are the most expert mystic, and Your causeless mercy can make everything possible. I am simply praying for Your mercy so that I will be able to convince them about Your message.”

And then, at the very end, he said, “I am just like a puppet in Your hands.” Just like a puppet. What life does a puppet have? None. It is a limp doll. That was Prabhupada’s humility. He wrote, “I am just like a puppet in Your hands, so if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance. O Lord, make me dance as You like.”

That should be our mood—just puppets in the hands of our spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, the previous acharyas, the Deities. “Make me Your puppet. I have no capacity on my own. Make me Your puppet, O Lord, and make me dance as You like.” In that mood we can get this priceless treasure that Lord Chaitanya came to the world to give and that Srila Prabhupada came to the West and traveled all over the world to give us. We pray for their mercy that we may open our hearts to the gift they came to give us and see it in the proper mood. When we truly accept it in our hearts, then we can also give it to others, share it with others, and that’s the second half—to accept it and then to share it.

Hare Krishna.

[A talk by Giriraj Swami on Gaura-purnima, February 28, 2010, Houston]

Source: https://girirajswami.com/blog/?p=18718#more-18718

Holi or the festival of colors is celebrated about ten days after the spring festival. A delightful visual, this festival combines the gaiety of a carnival and the devotional flavour of a religious festival with the singing of amorous songs as unbridled expressions of youth. This is the time when both feelings and colours run riot. Braj seems to be the only place where one comes across a variety of forms in which the festival of Holi is celebrated. The following account records in brief some of the most colourful and ecstatic forms of Holi in Braj.The seat of Shri Radha has all the touch of romanticism. The songs sung by people recall the pranks of Radha and Krishna and their love for each other and the gopis. The visitors move around in large and small groups singing, dancing and applying colours, intoxicated with the thoughts of Radha and Krishna leela. The climax of the festivities is in the afternoon when the gops of Nandgaon come to Barsana to play Holi with the local gopis.

The women play Holi by hitting the men hard with a 2- ½ metre long bamboo staff. The men (gops) protect themselves with shields. The violence of the attack is mellowed down by the singing of folk songs specially composed for the occasion which express, in a variety of ways, how the Holi festival had enraptured the belles of Barsana. The following day the entire scene is re-enacted at Nandgaon. The gops of Barsana are invited to play Holi with the village belles of Nandgaon. The elaborate procedure includes carrying the flag. of the temple of Shriji. The flag is received by the gops of Barsana with devotional singing, and is carried on foot to Nandgaon where all attempts to capture it are foiled by the visiting group. The rest of the festivities at Nandgaon mark devotional singing in the temple, folk singing on the streets followed by the women emerging in a group to play Holi with bamboo staffs.

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- By Saci Gaurasundara Dasa

Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

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A weekend of instruction, association, kirtan and fun.

Friday, May 3, 6:00 PM through Sunday, May 5, 1:00 PM.

New Vrindavan Dham

Seminars:

Bhaktimarga Swami: Conscious kirtan.

Fine-tuning our participation in the yuga-dharma.

Includes tips for leading and following kirtan, playing instruments, and dancing in a blissful collective offering to the Lord.

Radhika Raman Prabhu: Finding and Becoming a Mentor

All of us need guidance in our spiritual life. How do we find the appropriate guides for our bhakti? And in time, how can we offer this valuable service to others?

Prabhupada Priya Devi Dasi: Relishing Srila Prabhupada’s Books

How can we best study, understand and apply Srila Prabhupada’s books? How can we improve our study habits? Which books are the highest priority?

Yadunatha Prabhu: Team Building Through Improv

Memorable experiences in Vaishnava cooperation and team building through a series of entertaining and enlightening improvisation exercises.

Vraj Vihari Prabhu: Maintaining Balance in Spiritual Life

In pursuit of Krishna consciousness, how do we maintain our health, sadhana, service and worldly responsibilities in a peaceful, sustainable way?

Plus: – Workshops in Vaishnava Writing, Personal Development, and more.

– Entertainment, including transcendental comedy with Yadunath Prabhu

Registration is limited! $150 per person before April 7, $200 after.

https://www.newvrindaban.com/events-1/krishna-house-retreat

Includes all seminars and entertainment plus Friday and Saturday night accommodations and six prasadam meals: Friday dinner/ Saturday Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner/ Sunday Breakfast and Feast.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=112447

It was our great honor that Shri Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ संभाजी शिंदे visited the Iskcon temple at Thane at Piramal Vaikuntha and took a tour of the entire temple.

Source: https://dandavats108.blogspot.com/2024/03/chief-minister-of-maharashtra-state.html

By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi

Evolve Club, the Youth Educational arm of ISKCON Chandigarh, has partnered with Chandigarh University to start a Value Added Course called “Life Lessons from Bhagavad Gita” beginning this month.

“We have signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Chandigarh University for this value-added course that will have interactive sessions, workshops, and field activities with students based on the Bhagavad-gita,” said Naamprema Das, Temple Co-president, ISKCON Chandigarh. The course will include different aspects and challenges of youths and how to overcome them, inculcating moral values and developing a positive outlook in life.

In an official announcement, the University’s director, Dr. Ashita Chadha, stated, “This course aims to delve into the timeless wisdom and profound insights offered by the Bhagavad-gita, a sacred scripture revered for its philosophical depth and practical teachings. Through interactive sessions and discussions, participants will explore essential life lessons that are relevant across various facets of existence related to management, leadership, team building, and more.”

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-chandigarh-partners-with-university-of-chandigarh/

The 2024 Krishna House Retreat will be held this year on May 3-5th at ISKCON New Vrindaban in West Virginia, offering an opportunity for both new bhaktas and seasoned devotees to recharge their spiritual batteries in the living fire of Lord Caitanya’s sankirtan mission.

“Over the past 16 years, Krishna House communities have introduced hundreds to the simple, joyous life of devotion,” said Brhat Mrdanga Das, Director of Krishna House North America. As a result, they’re full of spiritual vibrancy.” Participants can expect joyful kirtans, inspiring presentations from some of ISKCON’s most engaging teachers, nourishing association, and delicious prasadam, all in the spiritual environs of New Vrindaban Dham. For those who want to live in an ashram or serve as a leader, this is a great chance to get plugged in.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/2024-krishna-house-retreat-in-may-is-open-for-early-bird-registration/

Very grateful to Mr. Ajay Piramal and his family for the Iskcon thane temple.
Piramal Enterprises Limited Piramal Realty

Source: https://dandavats108.blogspot.com/2024/03/mr-ajay-piramal-and-his-family-visit.html

Amidst thousands of tourists in the picturesque destination, the ISKCON Gold Coast, Bhakti Centre Surfers Paradise hosted their annual Festival of Chariots, commonly known as Ratha Yatra. This vibrant celebration held along the coast not only signifies a cultural and spiritual milestone but also reflects the perseverance and dedication of the local devotees and community.

The early years of organizing the Rath Yatra were not without obstacles, said Madhavananda Das, a prominent figure from the Gold Coast Bhakti Centre. “The first Rath Yatra in Surfers Paradise commenced in 2020 amidst unexpected adversities, including heavy rainfall forecasts. However, our unwavering faith and determination propelled us forward,” he noted, “After navigating the challenges posed by COVID-19, we resumed our Rath Yatra activities in 2022, followed by successful events in 2023.”

Despite subsequent hurdles, such as pandemic restrictions and weather uncertainties, the Rath Yatra has grown in scale and impact over the years. Madhavananda expressed gratitude to key contributors and supporters, highlighting the collaborative effort that goes into making each year’s event a success. “We are grateful for the support we receive, but there is always room for more participation and assistance from our international family.”

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/iskcon-gold-coast-bhakti-centre-celebrates-successful-surfers-paradise-ratha-yatra/

Anuttama Dasa, ISKCON’s Global Communications Minister and GBC member, recently toured the Bhaktivedanta Hospital and Research Center, a multi-specialty tertiary care hospital located in Mumbai, India, across the street from the ISKCON Mira Road Temple. People come from all over the world to receive treatment here because of the emphasis on the spiritual, physical, and mental well-being of the patient. Beginning as the Bhaktivedanta Polyclinic in 1993 and later the expanded Bhaktivedanta Hospital and Research Center in 1998, it is now regarded as one of the most state-of-the-art medical and research facilities in all of India. A typical day will welcome over 2,500 visitors, while the lobby will see an average of 700 patients daily.

In addition to its first-class treatment, which includes dozens of specialties, the hospital is committed to educating thousands on how to prevent disease and disability while maintaining a healthy body through proper exercise, sleep, and eating. Anuttama would see this first hand during his visit to the complex as the facility continues to expand, offering more and more services and specialties to the residents of Mumbai and beyond.  One of the most recent additions is the video production studio.

On his way to the auditorium and classrooms where they host meetings and train new employees, Anuttama came across the beautiful studio where a medical host was preparing to interview a sleep expert for an upcoming video. Over 100 educational videos have been produced by the media production team at the hospital. “So they’re not only working wonderfully to help people regain their health, but they’re also working to help ensure people maintain their health,” said Anuttama, “A wonderful service they’re doing for ISKCON devotees and, of course, for the whole population in Mumbai.” 

In addition to the media studio, the hospital has continued to expand other areas like the ICU, pharmacy facilities, water treatment, sterilization, as well as offering more patient rooms.

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/bhaktivedanta-hospital-helping-patients-to-maintain-health-through-new-media-studio/

Asiatoday got an opportunity to meet a young travelling monk, Chaitanya Charan Das, from ISKCON aka Hare Krishna group. Chaitanya Charan Das is an acclaimed author, scholar, mentor, life coach, and monk. He has been an invited speaker at several international conferences on the interface of science and spirituality, including the World Peace Conference 2006 and World Peace Congress 2008 organized by UNESCO.  Based in India, he has given talks at colleges and companies all over the world from Australia to America. He was visiting phoenix as part of his North America tour this year.  

Asia Today(AT): It is very nice to meet you. We have heard lot about you but want to know more about of your journey to spirituality.

Chaitanya Charan Das (CCD): Nice to be here with you. I was following a normal career chart and I did engineering and was planning to come to America. I gave my GRE in 1996 and I was first in the state of Maharasthra, India to get 2350 out of 2400 at that time. And at that time my dream was two things. One was I want to achieve something extraordinary and secondly to contribute something to society. But, my criteria for achievement were primarily on academic field. I wanted to be a topper and when I got high score in GRE, I was not the first in my college, but first in the history of my university to achieve this. So, I felt my dreams come true. But then unfortunately there was no real satisfaction. Because looking at the marksheet does not give any pleasure rather someone has to come and congratulate you then only you feel happiness. I felt that I am becoming more dependent on others for my happiness. That time I came across Bhagavad Gita (BG). which helped me to understand that the real happiness is found within through spiritual realization and I started following the principles of BG. I was positively transformed. I had a short temper that time but that also substantially went down. Before that time I was looking at BG more like a religious book or a philosophical book. But later I realized that BG can also be a book for self development and for self empowerment. Parallel with my studies, I was doing some social service in my college. And as part of that social service group, I used to go to the slum and teach slum children. I would teach them english, maths and history and I found them most of the kids came from dysfunctional home. like father is alcoholic or there is so much  of domestic abuse in the house. And I felt that I was really helping them substantially by teaching them maths, history etc. I was very much convinced about the power of education to help people. During that time, one of my friend was very much into social service. He went to a village and he saw how much alcoholism is creating havoc to poor people. We decided to make an anti alcohol campaign also. My friend by his effort got the whole village deaddicted from alcohol. And one day he was shattered seeing that in local panchayat election, local panchayat member has brought several free alcohol bottles and not only the father but the children are drunk. And that time I felt that by offering academic education, I am opening new options for people but people don’t just need options but they also need the inner capacity to choose wisely the right option. And that inner capacity to choose wise option, I felt, can come by sharing the principles of BG. By that time I passed out from my college, one year senior to me was a student who had been university topper throughout. And he had got the highest paid job in the history of our college that time. But he was a chain smoker and within the first 6 months of his high paying job, he has been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer and he died. So here it struck me that whether it is uneducated people or well educated toppers working in MNC, they all had something within them which could destroy them. And then I felt that by the knowledge of BG, we become empowered internally to make healthier choices and to resist harmful forces that reside within us. Thereafter I worked in software company for sometime but I felt that whatever I was contributing to society through writing software programs can be done by several hundreds of other people. I felt that I discovered something more valuable to contribute to society. As I said earlier, BG has been initially typecasted in my mind as Hindu religious book or as a abstract philosophical text but then after I saw it as a spiritual book which is for self empowerment. And as I was having a scientific background because of my engineering I felt that science is one big mountain of knowledge and spirituality is another big mountain of knowledge. But there are few bridges between them. I felt that with my training and experience I could contribute to the society best by presenting the wisdom of BG in contemporary scientific logical terms. And thats how I decided to dedicate my life that time onwards by studying and sharing the wisdom of BG.

AT: When you become the ISKCON’s member?

CCD: In 1996, I got introduced to ISKCON and in 1998 I got passed out from my college. I worked for a year and in Feb 1999, I joined ISKCON as a monk.

AT: Somebody took you to ISKCON or you just find you own way?

CCD: In 1996, after I have given my GRE exam, it has been my anticlimax as even though I achieved what I wanted but I was not satisfied. (Smiling) I was kind of frustrated by success. Then at that time, one of my childhood friend has become introduced to ISKCON and he gave me a BG. My first reaction was I have already read this and I know this. But then when I saw how transformed he was, I was surprised. He had been a typical materialist happy go lucky kind of person but now he was so sober, gentle and transformed. I felt may be there is something in the BG that I have missed out. That was in Sep 1996.

AT: Then you became a follower of ISKCON temple from then onwards. One more question. You talked about two things. Spirituality and Science. So, so far how much successful you are in building bridge between these two.

CCD: Ok. I think making a bridge is a huge effort which will require not just one individual but the whole groups of individual working for several generations. But in my own small way, I feel that I am able to make some contribution. In last 17-18 years now, I have been speaking on BG, writing on it, since 2011 I have been writing daily on BG 300 words article in my blog Gitadaily and thousands of people reading all over the world. And I feel that on many occasions people are dramatically benefitted. In 2015, when I came first to a tour of America I was speaking at the OHIO state university to a Vegetarian society on regulating our mental diet. After that session, one American science graduate student came to me and told me that just before this class, he had been contemplating suicide. He had been a steady relationship but his girl friend left him for some other boy. While he was contemplating suicide somehow he has seen poster for this program. He felt something within him said lets go for it. And now after that session as he understood that it was not he who wants to commit suicide rather uncontrolled mind within him which was prompting him to do this. And by understanding this wise inside him, he resisted. Again in 2016 when I go to same university I saw that boy again and now he is well situated and good at his career and now in another relationship and he has internalized the principles of BG. So I feel that there are definitely people who are benefited by the wisdom of BG. I see myself not as a teacher of BG, I feel that the Gita teaches me and teaches through me. There is a great satisfaction in becoming a channel for higher wisdom.

AT: Any message for the reader of Asia today and any particular instruction for where to go to get peace:

CCD: I would say 3 points. BG offers a vision of light which is very devotional and dynamic. What you are is God’s gift to you but what you become is your Gift to God. God has given us something. For some it is more and for some it is less. Whatever we have if we use it well, we can always make valuable contribution in life.

We dont have to compare ourself with anyone else. Comparison is the cancer which can sap out energy. If God has wanted us to be someone else he would have made us someone else. God has made you “you” and BG wisdom can empower you the best “you”.

One last point, spiritual wisdom is not just a spare wheel in our life. When things dont work then we will go to temple or we will pray to God. We keep it like a spare wheel. But if we make spiritual wisdom as the steering wheel of our life, we make it pivot by which we shape our decisions then we will find that whatever life sends our way we will be able to bring the best out of it. In life good and bad things will anyway happen. But with BG wisdom, we can bring best out of the good and also of the bad. That is what Arjuna did, he was devastated at the start, but by the Gita wisdom he was inspired at the end. Arjuna’s bow represents our determination. At the start of BG he kept aside his bow saying I can not fight. But by the end he raised his bow again and he was ready to fight. Similarly, life diversities make us put aside our bow. I can not do any thing. We give up. But by hearing the message of BG, Arjuna became confident. We can also become confident by the understanding of the God’ benevolence, the God’s love for us. And we can be inspired in loving determination like Arjuna to make our contribution in life.

AT: From where you to get your inspiration for your classes and practical and wonderful examples which makes it easy for people to understand.

CCD: Greatest inspiration for me is Srila Prabhupada who authored the BG as it is. When he was all alone on the ship, jaladyuta, who was carrying him, he had two heart attacks. Here is a person who is alone and practically penniless, who is having no medical attention. Normally when we get a heart attack lot of relatives come and take us to hospital. But he was all alone and he was thinking not that God should save him rather he was praying oh god make me an instrument of your compassion. Make me dance according to your tune. So that I can share your message with the world. This selfless dedication of srila prabhada is my enduring inspiration. He was a preeminent teacher of BG and he has inspired several of other people to teach and thousand to live on the principles of BG. So, primarily from Srila Prabhupada and many other teachers who in their own way are sharing the wisdom of BG from different perspective, I get inspiration. And I try to share that wisdom in contemporary language. Srila prabhupada would say that we should present BG message in the language of science. I see that science is one language but every generation has ethos and that timeless wisdom should be presented in a timely way according to the idiom and ethos of the generation. So, I try to serve all the previous Gita teachers by taking inspiration from there and presenting in contemporary language using contemporary examples. In this way, I serve in my own small way in bridging between traditional and contemporary world.

By your work worship the lord. Tool of my trade is word to beautify and glorify the lord.

AT: Is everything about God is written in BG?

CCD: See, God is greater than any religion or any book. God is greater than any philosophy. We can not say that everything about God can be understood from any book. Gita tells us essential things which we need to know by which we can know and love God. All sacred books are meant for God. God is not meant for the book. Religion is meant for God not other way. When there is a religious conflict which often happen because some religion claim that God is their monopoly and God can only be known through their religion. Here there is a fundamental mismatch. God is bigger than any religion that we have. BG actually focuses on transcendental essence. At the end, BG says a verse sarva dharman parityajaya [Bg 18.66]. Give up all externals, give up all religion formalities and focus simply on loving devotion to me. In that sense BG takes us to the essence of the spirituality and gives us the instrument both intellectual and practical and by which we can realize and relish the essence. God knowledge is exhaustive. Gita can guide us in our journey of knowing God so that we can keep relishing our journey.

AT: What is biggest problem in this so called developing world where we have so many things to relish? And why should we turn towards spirituality?

CCD: Two things – Just that I have good food does not mean I don’t need oxygen. Food is important. But oxygen is also important. Just that I am great in professional life does not mean I don’t need family life. Great success in professional life can not compensate for my failure in family life. There are different areas of life. In today;s world we have tremendous progress of science in material world. But material is external to us. We have very good gadgets. In past people used to sweat in the sun but today we have air conditioning but people are still sweating not because of heat but because of stress. So we have the paradox of people having comfort but they are comfortably miserable. We are externally going right, but internally very few things are going right for us. Never before in the history of world so many people committed suicide. According to statistics, one million is committing suicide every year. One in every 40 sec. and this figure of one million is more than who are being killed in murders/wars/and violent crimes together. So, people are killing themselves more than getting killed. There is something fundamentally wrong here. We are learning to control outer world but not inner world. BG gives the knowledge by which we can control the inner world. Arjun was the great warrior but he was internally disturbed by confusion and he was reduced to tears. BG demonstrates here that inner war is far more decisive than outer war. BG knowledge help Arjuna to win the inner world. Science can makes things better but spirituality can make people better. We need a balance of science and spirituality. For our fulfillment, peace and true enjoyment we need to get better control over the inner world. And that is what provided by the wisdom of BG.

AT: When did you start writing daily on the Gita? What inspired you to do so?

CCD: I have been writing daily since November 1, 2011. I had been reading the Bhagavad-gita daily for nearly fifteen years before that and I had found it unfailingly, inexhaustibly inspiring. And I had been sharing that inspiration through my talks.

During my talks, I would often coin succinct statements that summarized in English some of the Gita’s teachings, especially those relevant in our personal and social lives. Many in my audiences appreciated those succinct statements and asked me to elaborate on them. So, I made a list of those statements and started writing brief articles on them.

Knowing that everyone is hard-pressed for time, I wanted to keep the articles as short as possible. I found that on an average people can read 100 words in a minute. So, I felt that if I could write a 300-word meditation on the Gita, it would appeal to people as they could get a daily connection with the Gita in an accessible and appealing way.

I had seen similar short reflections written by teachers of other traditions on their respective sacred books such as the Bible and the Koran. Yet no one was writing similarly on the Gita. I thought, “It has been a source of wisdom for millions of millennia. Why should it be deprived of a similar honor?”

Actually, I felt that I was not qualified for writing on the Gita daily, but none of my spiritual mentors had the time to do this. The spiritual teacher who has influenced me the most, A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, author of Bhagavad Gita As It Is, urged seekers to write daily for deepening their understanding. I see myself as a Gita student who writes on the Gita to understand it better. I don’t teach the Gita – the Gita teaches me and teaches through me.

AT: What do you think is the greatest need of people in today’s world? And how Bhagavad Gita or GitaDaily articles can fulfill that?

CCD: Martin Luther King said, “We have guided missiles and misguided men. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.” Through science and technology, we have transformed our outer world. But our inner world remains an area of profound darkness and even distress. Over a million people commit suicide every year. This figure is more than the number of people killed in wars, terrorist attacks and murderous crimes combined together. More than the number of people being killed by others is the number of people killing themselves. Going wild within the human psyche is a force that is dark and deadly.

That force brought Arjuna, a battle-heartened warrior to a breaking point, even before the battle started. And that same force is bringing countless people to breaking point today.

There is an acute need to illumine our inner life so that we can identify and rectify the malevolent forces within us. The Gita did that for Arjuna; it did that for millions over millennia; it can do that for all of us too.

AT: What kind of issues do you deal with in your Gita daily articles?

CCD: I primarily focus on the Gita’s capacity to tap the hidden depths of human potential. We all have within us so much potential that is dissipated because of our stray thoughts, wild desires and unconsidered actions. By applying the Gita’s principles, we all can discover that we are meant for much bigger things than what we may have thought – transformational achievement and enduring fulfillment can be ours if we empower ourselves with Gita wisdom.

I try to center the Gita-daily articles on one of the following six themes:

1. Growing through life’s reversals
2. Learning to see the world with the eyes of the Gita
3. Understanding important Gita concepts in small accessible thought capsules
4. Empowering themselves with Gita insights to choose intelligent pleasures
5. Applying the Gita’s teachings for leading a principle-centered life
6. Using Krishna’s words to perceive his presence in our heart and life and thereby learning to love him

AT: Do you think that the Gita should be declared India’s national book?

CCD: The question has become unnecessarily politicalized and gone into the area of religious one-upsmanship. Declaring the tiger to be India’s national animal doesn’t mean discriminating against other animals – it just means acknowledging the specialness of the tiger for Indians.

Similarly, if we consider the formation of modern India, no book was as wide-ranging in inspiring Indian independence fighters. Right from those who championed non-violent political agitation to those who advocated counter-aggression, the whole gamut of Indian leaders derived inspiration from this timeless classic.

Prior to that, the Gita has inspired millions in India for millennia. Given this rich stamp of the Gita on the formation of the fabric of India, declaring it to be India’s national book is entirely fitting.

At the same time, if such a declaration is going to inflame communal fears and if such fears can’t be addressed by proper education, then probably the energy spent on canonizing the Gita as India’s national book can be better used in sharing its wisdom. Applying the Gita in life will benefit India and will enable India to benefit the world by becoming an exemplar and exponent of universal spiritual wisdom.

AT: Stress is a major problem in today’s world. How can the Gita help us deal with it?

CCD: While stress is a complex problem with multiple causes, one major cause is the tendency of the mind to focus on things that are not in our control, instead of things that are in our control. I often say, “Worry is the interest we pay on loans we haven’t yet taken.”

The Gita’s spiritual knowledge and its recommended practice of meditation can help us relish inner security and serenity. By this, we can face stress-causing uncertainty with greater calmness and effectiveness.

At the end, Asia today team thanked Chaitnya Charan Prabhu for his wonderful message and insight to spiritualism.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=85444

According to the shastra, the way to counteract the very deeply strong tendency for possessiveness in the grihastha life is to giving charity to the Vaishnavas and the brahmans, to the mission of the guru. According to the shastra, the first fifty percent you have give it to your guru’s mission. And then whatever else you have, maintain, that is the ideal standard. You never be possessive if you do that, because the first priority with whatever you get goes to Guru and Krishna. You cannot do fifty percent; you should aspire to come as close to that as possible. But that should be the first thing you do with your Laxmi or your wealth or whatever you have. Not that I will take care of my own needs and whatever little is left will see. This is how a grihastha suppose to be trained according to the shastra. Then you will not be possessive, for you should give in charity and you should also always be aspiring to be the humble servant of the servant. And very important that you are always looking of to those who are in a renounced order of life. To the degree the grihasthas have respect for the dignity of the brahmacharis and the sannyasis, to that degree they will advance properly in Krishna consciousness. This is always been the teaching of Srila Prabhupada through his books. But this is very important for the first class brahmacharis and grihasthas. Because although grihasthas might be very very expert in whatever they do, often times they are very very expert. He may be expert managers, expert preachers, expert at giving donations and managing affairs, business, and doctors whatever. They will become proud and they will become possessive and they will become attached. Unless they have a very very deep and high esteem for those in the renounced order of life and they are thinking when will I become like that?

And we find the great kings like Yudhishtra, who was more an expert grihastha than him? When Narada muni or some great soul would come, he will simply bow down and say when will I become like you? You are really great, look at me. Dasharatha maharaja same thing, these are the real great grihasthas. They might even be better than those who are in renounced order of life. Ambarish maharaja was thinking that way towards Durvasa muni. He was far more advanced than Durvasa muni, but his humility was as a grihastha, that when will I become like you? You are so renounced and so great. So that high esteem for those in a renounced order of life is a very very essential ingredient within the heart, necessary within the heart of the grihastha. And therefore that high esteem must manifest in aspiring to be the humble servant of those in the renounced order of life.

And as far as brahamachari counteracting possessiveness, that comes by serving the other Vaishnavas. By keeping nothing for oneself, but being a servant. Whatever we keep we should understand it’s like holding on when we are trying to swim in the ocean, it’s like holding on to some heavy weight. Bhagavatam says, when one is drowning in the ocean and he is attached to beautiful golden crown, it might look nice, it might give him pride and prestige, but it only helps him sink faster and deeper. Nothing is ours, everything is Krishna’s…..voice missing…., dive for ourselves, we should know its bondage, and it’s going to cause us suffering.

A question is asked on how should we deal with our relatives, wife, children.

Possessiveness means that you are meant to protect them on behalf of your guru and Krishna. They are not yours, they are not your slaves, and they are not your servants. You are their servant, you may have to train them, you may have to discipline them but in the mood of being their servant. Because they are Krishna’s children and Krishna has entrusted them and He has entrusted them to you. But they are His sacred property. Therefore you must always be in a mood of being the servant of all Vaishnavas, all family members, everyone. Sometimes we may have to serve them by disobediently following the order, Sometime you may have to serve them by disciplining them, by giving them instructions, But the mood is always service, there is nothing is yours. It is the sacred property of God, every devotee. The temple president is the servant of the people who are under him, he doesn’t think they are mine, they are my servants. He is serving them because they are his guru’s property. He must engage them in guru’s work. The father sees the children and the wife in the same spirit and the wife must see the husband and the children in the same spirit. This is an essential necessity of all our relationships, but nothing is ours. We are the masters over no one; this is ego and the servant. These people are my guru’s property, they are more precious than me. I have a great responsibility in my relationship with them.

We are not takers, we are givers. Even when we receive we are actually giving them the chance to serve, we are not taking something from them. When we expect something for someone, we should not expect it for ourselves; we should expect it for them. It’s like when you are a doctor when he expect someone to take medicines, is it for your good or his good? Devotional service is a medicine, if someone is serving you as the representative of the guru, we should not be expected for our self, and we should be expected for their benefit. It’s a medicine that will heal them. That should be our spirit. Therefore we are not attached, we have no personal attachment. But out of compassion we are diligently trying to engage them in their duty. A wife is meant to serve the husband, but the husband should not be proud thinking that she is serving me. By some inconceivable arrangement, I am supposed to be the representative of guru to this person. Therefore in serving me she is actually purifying her own existence because she is serving a guru. It’s not for me; I am not attached to what she gives me. I am only attached that she makes spiritual advancement. Then you are always in a mood of a servant, not an enjoyer. This we must cultivate, this consciousness being the servant of the servant.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=24199

ON DAYS SET ASIDE FOR SELLING Back to Godhead magazine, he packed copies in a cloth sack and boarded the morning train to Delhi. With nowhere to stay in Delhi he had to return to Vrindavan by evening, which gave him only a few hours of daylight. Sales were minimal and he did not always collect enough to cover costs. Some days, he made appointments with wealthy men to request support. A few responded with token donations for his cause. He befriended an Ayurvedic doctor who promised assistance. One day, Bhakti Dayita Madhav Maharaj from the local Gaudiya Math was bicycling by and saw Abhay standing at the gate of the doctor’s large house.

“What are you waiting for?”

“I am waiting to get a five rupee donation,” Abhay called back.

After some hours, Bhakti Dayita Madhav Maharaj again passed by on his bicycle. Abhay was still standing there. “Did you get the five rupees?”

“No. The gentleman has not yet arrived,” Abhay replied, “but I will wait.”

“Let it go. I will give you five rupees.”

Abhay thought for a moment. “Every month?”

The senior devotee noted Abhay’s torn and weary clothes. “Let’s make it ten,” he said.

LIVING APART FROM HIS FAMILY freed Abhay to pursue support for his mission and the frequency of his letter writing increased. To a prominent Kanpur industrialist he wrote, “The leaders of India in the name of secular government have engaged themselves in everything foreign. They have carefully set aside the treasure house of India’s spiritual assets and are imitating the Western material way of life. So my idea of preaching in the foreign countries means that they are rather fed up with material advancement of knowledge. They are seeking the guidance of the Vedanta Sutra and Bhagavad Gita in an authentic way. And I am sure India will again go back to spiritual life when the principle is accepted by the Europeans and Americans.”1

Abhay’s letters demanded much from their readers. What would a businessman in 1950s Calcutta make of such a petition, sent by a stranger, written in awkward English, arguing that Westerners were seeking guidance from ancient Sanskrit scriptures, and concluding that Hindus would revert to their spiritual roots if Westerners did so first? The whole idea was illogical, unreasonable. Then again, so were most revolutionary ideas.

The Kanpur industrialist did not answer.

January 1, 1957, was the twenty-first anniversary of Bhaktisiddhanta’s passing from this world. During the heyday of his mission, printing presses ran day and night in Gaudiya Math centers. Now the presses had been sold and the institution had divided into many smaller efforts to continue Bhaktisiddhanta’s mission—all within India. Was this the end of prophesies and visions of a worldwide movement, of a global future resurrected from the ashes of Kali Yuga? If his guru, a monumental devotee, could not make it happen, who was Abhay to presume to do better?

You sent your servants door to door, Abhay wrote in a memorial poem, and the preaching then was strong. “Now, in your absence,” he wrote, “everything is darkness.”2

IN THOSE EARLY DAYS, before fame and an international institution, before millions of books and worldwide radio broadcasts of the Hare Krishna mantra, in the days when he was still called Abhay Babu and wore a white dhoti and a shopkeeper’s jacket, A.C. Bhaktivedanta was rebuffed and often reviled for his persistence.

“The history of the West,” he wrote Prime Minister Jawarlal Nehru on August 4, 1958, “beginning from the time of the Greeks and Romans down to the modern age of atomic war, is a continuous chain of sense-gratifying materialism. The result is that the Westerners were never at peace within 3,000 years of historical records. Therefore, India may not waste her time in imitating the Western way of life. Do you think that horseless carriages or telephones or radio communications or any other such ephemeral facilities of life can bring real prosperity? No, they cannot. It is spiritual knowledge which makes a man really rich, not radio sets and motor cars. If you can spare a little time, I am sure to convince you…”

Nehru did not reply.

If he could not get a reply to a letter sent inside India, how realistic was it to expect a better response in America? Would atheistic foreigners addicted to undignified habits ever accept the Gita’s proposal to restrain their senses and live a life of devotion? Still, Mahaprabhu had predicted that the Holy Names would be sung worldwide, so sensible minds must surely be there in America and elsewhere—but how to reach them? Discussing scriptures and chanting mantras were nothing new for Krishna’s devotees inside India: they had been doing so long before the tea-drinking sahibs arrived. America was not India. If he did succeed in going there, was he destined to always be so alone?

In the fall of 1958, contemplating his poverty and isolation, Abhay wrote a poem.

I am sitting alone in Vrindavana-dhama.

In this mood I am getting many realizations.

I have my wife, sons, daughters, grandsons, everything,

But I have no money, so they are a fruitless glory.

Krishna has shown me the naked form of material nature;

By His strength it has all become tasteless to me today.

He had no idea what lay ahead, only that the past could no longer hold him and that some fundamental rip had occurred in the fabric of his life. His parents had died, his marriage had devolved into domestic nausea and his commercial efforts had amounted to nil. He recalled the verse in Srimad Bhagavatamwhere Krishna described His strategy for the faithful, for those whom He would draw nearer to Him, and Abhay added it to his poem:

“I gradually take away all the wealth of those upon whom I am merciful.”

How was I able to understand this mercy of the all-merciful?

Everyone has abandoned me, seeing me penniless—

Wife, relatives, friends, brothers, everyone.

This is misery, but it gives me a laugh. I sit alone and laugh.

In this maya-samsara [material world], whom do I really love?

Where have my loving father and mother gone now?

And where are all my elders, who were my own folk?

Who will give me news of them, tell me who?

All that is left of this family life is a list of names…

DONATIONS FOR PRINTING TRICKLED IN and he hoarded every penny until there was enough money to print another issue of Back to Godhead, the first in two years. In October, 1958, 1,000 copies rolled off the grimy letterset press at Kumar Jain’s print shop and Abhay took once more to the streets, a sixty-four-year-old missionary with pointy white rubber shoes and a sack of magazines.

At night, more dreams came of his spiritual master urging him to accept the sannyasa staff, dreams too frequent to ignore. Despite his hesitations, he wrote to Bhaktivilas Tirtha Maharaj, leader of the Chaitanya Math in Calcutta, requesting his blessings to become a sannyasi and travel to America. Approval by Tirtha Maharaj would erase any impression that Abhay was breaking with Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati’s institution. Tirtha Maharaj responded that before attempting such an ambitious journey, Abhay should join the Chaitanya Math and “have a dignified organization in the background.” Come here and work under me, Tirtha Maharaj proposed, then we will decide about your going abroad.

Abhay knew Tirtha Maharaj barely had enough money to maintain his math, let alone print books or finance a mission to America. Rather, it was Tirtha Maharaj who should join him in executing their guru’s order. Tirtha Maharaj’s secretary, Dr. Verma, remembered the day Abhay came to talk with Tirtha Maharaj about taking a world mission seriously. “The discussion was loud,” he recalled.

Abhay had extended an olive branch and it had been rejected. There was no longer a choice but to separate from his spiritual master’s institution and find a way to America on his own—not only without finances but also without the sanction of the institution that had raised him in devotional life. The next day he called a meeting. In attendance were B.R. Sridhar Maharaj; Sridhar’s disciple, B.S. Govinda Maharaj; Abhay’s son, Vrindavan Chandra; and Abhay’s sister, Bhavatarini. Her marriage had not been going well, and she spent a fair amount of time with Abhay’s family. The group heard him out and gave their opinions.

“Yes, it would be better if you become a sannyasa renunciate,” Bhavatarini said. “Don’t worry about your family, I will take care of them. I have five sons who have income. In any case, in your house they do not want that spiritual way of life.”

“Because of my relationship with your family,” Sridhar Maharaj said, “it would be better if I did not perform the sannyasa ceremony. Best approach Keshava Maharaj in Mathura.”

“YOU MUST DO IT,” Keshava Maharaj said. “Without accepting the renounced order of life, nobody can become a preacher.”

“I don’t know if I have the strength,” Abhay confessed.

“That strength will come from above,” Keshava Maharaj said, “from your Gurudev acting on you. He will give you strength to carry out his order. You just be the instrument.”3

To spread Krishna’s teaching abroad required someone who was both an exemplar of the Bhakti tradition yet flexible enough to adapt its teachings to a world governed by science and technology. Abhay had that balance: a devotee raised in strict Vaishanva fashion yet also educated in chemistry and economics, a person with his feet on the ground and his heart surrendered to God. He had no pretenses about being sent by Krishna, but his determination to do what his guru had asked was unshakeable. He agreed with Keshava Maharaj: the strength to do the impossible would come from above. He just had to agree to become the instrument, and becoming a sannyasi was the first step.

On September 17, 1959, in a fifty-by-twenty-five-foot temple room on the second floor of the Keshavaji Math, B.V. Narayan Maharaj—a disciple of Keshava Maharaj—prepared the sacrificial fire. Bhaktivedanta’s head was shaved, his tilak formed impeccable double lines on his nose and forehead and he was dressed in saffron, the color of those who no longer belonged to the material world. Another disciple of the late Bhaktisiddhanta, Akinchana Krishna Das, sang prayers. A handful of math residents were in attendance at the sannyasa ceremony, which began at 8 a.m. and continued until 3 p.m.,4 and when it ended there were embraces and tears and congratulations.

He walked out into the heat of summer and took a boat to one of the islands in the middle of the Yamuna River where he dragged the boat onto the sand and walked for a while along the sandy shore. Renunciation, it seemed, was worse in the contemplating than in the actual doing of it. “Have the trees forgotten to create fruits for you to eat?” Sage Sukadev declared in the Srimad Bhagavatam. “And if you are tired, are there no open fields for your bed? And if you are thirsty, are there no rivers to quench your thirst?”

He paused to push sand into the shape of a small hill and stuck his bamboo sannyasa staff in the middle of the mound, like the American flag at Iwo Jima or young King Arthur’s sword, Excalibur, rising from its stone. He raised his arms to the sky and shouted, “Haribol! Haribol!” Then he retrieved his staff and made his way back to shore.

In Vrindavan, no one called him Abhay Babu anymore. He was A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

1 SPL p.212-13

2 Poem published in Gaudiya Patrika.

3 OSP p.119

4 OSP p. 74-75

An excerpt from Swami in a Strange Land: How Krishna Came to the West by Joshua M. Greene. Available wherever books are sold. Please visit swamibio.com to learn more.

By Kumari Kunti Dasi

Costa Rica is celebrated for its wildlife, volcanoes, animal sanctuaries, and breathtaking natural landscapes. The ISKCON temple is located in a bustling section of San Jose, the capital city, nestled amidst a blend of residences and dining establishments. Though modest in size, the temple fosters a close-knit community spirit, with only a handful of residents residing in its ashram. Despite this, devotees from all corners of San Jose converge here to partake in spiritual dialogues and practices.

The journey of the temple’s Deities, Sri Sri Nitai Gaurasundara, is tale locals affectionately refer to as the “sankirtana party,” owing to their numerous relocations over the years. Having graced Costa Rica for more than three decades, their adventures began on a farm where a solitary cow produced milk exclusively for their nourishment. From there, they journeyed to a devotee’s seaside abode before settling in various locations within San Jose, where they have resided contentedly for the past eight years, with no plans of moving any time soon!

Read more: https://iskconnews.org/temple-profile-san-jose-costa-rica/

The meeting commenced with Guru Puja and a reading from Srimad Bhagavatam.

Krishnadas Kaviraj Dasa (GBC Deputy) facilitated the straw voting process for the following proposals. For each proposal, he provided a summary, resolution, and highlighted the Plus, Minus, and Interesting points. Members in attendance engaged in a detailed discussion and cast straw votes on the matter of Reinstating the position of Assistant GBC and Acting GBC.

The post-lunch session featured a presentation on Deity worship by Nrsimha Kavaca Dasa. During his presentation, Nrsimha Kavacha Dasa shared the following updates related to the Deity Worship Ministry:

– Conducted online and offline teaching courses at Mayapur.

– Organized a Temple Worship Course in New York for 10 days, receiving a highly favorable response. Integration of deity worship model into the Bhakti Shastri Course.

– Achieved an increased number of followers on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and publication of the Deity Worship newsletter.

– Hosted the 8th European Head Pujari Sanga.

– Facilitated Deity Installations at various temples, including New York, Badshahpur, Gurugram, East of Kailash at Delhi, Mauritius, and more.

– Conducted temple visits to assess and uphold Deity worship standards.

The presentation concluded with Nrsimha Kavaca Dasa addressing questions posed by GBC members.

Saturday is the day of mass influx of pilgrims. They are coming from Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai much of India and also abroad. I don't know where they all stay overnight but they are up for the attractions. It begins with arati at 4.30am. That's devotion. Saturday evening is also the elephant procession. Ranguli colour arrangements decorate the walkways. Torches are lit up. Young men don turbans and dhotis. They drum. Some ride those beauty queens - the elephants, Vishnupriya and Laksmipriya by name. It is very astounding - the power of parade. It stuns.

While 12-hour Kirtan persists these days, another big attraction, our turn out for the drama persists. The attendance is consistent. Even swamis are coming. They can have fun too. One father with young daughter and her friend, come every night. "I can't keep them from this play. They insist. What can I do!"

By Giriraj Swami

On the occasion of Sri Madhavendra Puri’s disappearance day, we share two verses and purports from Sri Caitanya-caritamrta which, by Sri Madhavendra Puri and Srila Prabhupada’s causeless mercy, may help us progress in Krishna consciousness.
jaya sri madhavapuri krsna-prema-pura
bhakti-kalpatarura tenho prathama ankura
“All glories to Sri Madhavendra Puri, the storehouse of all devotional service unto Krsna! He is a desire tree of devotional service, and it is in him that the seed of devotional service first fructified.”
Purport: “Sri Madhavendra Puri, also known as Sri Madhava Puri, belonged to the disciplic succession from Madhvacarya and was a greatly celebrated sannyasi. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was the third disciplic descendant from Sri Madhavendra Puri. The process of worship in the disciplic succession of Madhvacarya was full of ritualistic ceremonies, with hardly a sign of love of Godhead. Sri Madhavendra Puri was the first person in that disciplic succession to exhibit the symptoms of love of Godhead and the first to write a poem beginning with the words ayi dina-dayardra natha, ‘O supremely merciful Personality of Godhead.’ In that poem is the seed of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s cultivation of love of Godhead.” (Cc Adi 9.11)
ayi dina-dayardra natha he
mathura-natha kadavalokyase
hrdayam tvad-aloka-kataram
dayita bhramyati kim karomy aham
“O My Lord! O most merciful master! O master of Mathura! When shall I see You again? Because of My not seeing You, My agitated heart has become unsteady. O most beloved one, what shall I do now?”
Purport: “… When Sri Krsna left Vrndavana and accepted the kingdom of Mathura, Srimati Radharani, out of ecstatic feelings of separation, expressed how Krsna can be loved in separation. Thus devotional service in separation is central to this verse. Worship in separation is considered by the Gaudiya-Madhva-sampradaya to be the topmost level of devotional service. According to this conception, the devotee thinks of himself as very poor and neglected by the Lord. Thus he addresses the Lord as dina-dayardra natha, as did Madhavendra Puri. Such an ecstatic feeling is the highest form of devotional service. Because Krsna had gone to Mathura, Srimati Radharani was very much affected, and She expressed Herself thus: ‘My dear Lord, because of Your separation My mind has become overly agitated. Now tell Me, what can I do? I am very poor and You are very merciful, so kindly have compassion upon Me and let Me know when I shall see You.’ Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was always expressing the ecstatic emotions of Srimati Radharani that She exhibited when She saw Uddhava at Vrndavana. Similar feelings, experienced by Madhavendra Puri, are expressed in this verse. Therefore, Vaisnavas in the Gaudiya-Madhva-sampradaya say that the ecstatic feelings experienced by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu during His appearance came from Sri Madhavendra Puri through Isvara Puri. All the devotees in the line of the Gaudiya-Madhva-sampradaya accept these principles of devotional service.” (Cc Madhya 4.197)
A very lowly and fallen beggar prays for a drop of their mercy.
Hare Krishna.

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=43830